Belt buckle



April 1953 J. R. WHITEHOUSE 2,634,483

BELT BUCKLE Filed on. 11, 1949 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 14, 1953 BELT BUCKLE John Ralph Whitehouse, Rochester, N. Y., as-

signor to Hickok Manufacturing 00., Inc., Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 11, 1949, Serial No. 120,708

Claims. 1

This invention relates to belt buckles.

The invention is more particularly directed to belt buckles of the initialed type and wherein the initials are readily assembled on a carrier member to cooperate therewith and complete the belt buckle.

The invention is further directed to a ratchet type belt buckle, with the ratchet assembled with a back plate and the back plate being constructed so that one or more initials are readily applied thereto and wherein the initials are interchangeable. In this particular buckle, the retailer is supplied with a number of individual letters, comprehending all of the letters of the alphabet and such letters are constructed so that they are readily applied to the back plate and secured thereon. Thus an individual letter or initials or other indicia can be readily applied to the back plate and held or secured thereon and. these initials or other indicia that are secured to the back plate actually constitute the front portion of the belt buckle and complete the buckle along with the back plate which carries therewith means for attaching the end of the belt thereto.

In the prior art, initials have been applied to the front of a belt buckle but in these prior art patents, the initials are usually applied to a front plate of the belt buckle and do not constitute that front plate as such, but merely are an adjunct thereto as distinguished from the initials in the construction provided by the present invention wherein the initials actually form the front part of the belt buckle and with the rear plate or part constitute the entire buckle.

With the above in mind, it is an object of my invention to provide an initial or initials that may be readily applied to a rear part of a belt buckle and which initial or initials constitute the front part thereof and along with the said rear part constitute the entire buckle, it being understood that means are provided on the rear part for attaching the end of the belt thereto and for securing the free end of the belt in the buckle.

Another object of my invention is to provide a ratchet type belt buckle with interchangeable initials, and the said initials constituting the front part of the belt buckle and along with the back part of the belt buckle forming the entire buckle to which one end of the belt is attached and the other free end passing between the said initials and the back plate of the buckle.

Another object of my invention is to provide relatively large interchangeable initials for a belt buckle so that a purchasers initial or initials can be readily associated together with the back memher to form the buckle.

A further object of my invention is to provide a ratchet type belt buckle that is of substantially arcuate formation and including a rear arcuate back member and wherein the front part of the belt that is spaced from the back member to allow the free end of the belt to pass therethrough is in the form of interchangeable initials that are applied to the back member and held or secured in engagement therewith, and wherein the said initials are of arcuate or curved formation corresponding substantially with the arcuate or curved formation of the rear or back member.

Another object of my invention is to provide a belt buckle with interchangeable initials or the like consisting of a minimum number of parts and which buckle in its entirety can be manufactured rather inexpensively and the initials being capable of ready application and effective retention of the same in their applied positions with respect to the back member of the buckle.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of or sacrificing of any advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the belt buckle showing end portions of the strap associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the component elements constituting the entire buckle, this view being taken from the rear of the said elements;

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view similar to Fig. 3 but taken from the front of the said elements; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view substantially along the lines 5--5 of Fig. 1, taken in the direction of the arrows.

The invention will be more readily understood by referring to the said drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals in the several figures of the drawings all denote the same part and wherein the buckle in its entirety is denoted at B. The buckle consists mainly of three parts, the cut-out initials denoted generally at 6 and 1 and the rear buckle element denoted generally at 8.

rear buckle element 8.

The rear element 8 is arcuate or slightly curved and is of general channel shaped formation. It is inherently rigid. The channel formation of the rear element 8 consists of a slightly curved or arcuate substantially rigid back plate 9 and at the opposite side edges of which there are outwardly extending upper and lower flanges I and H, respectively, that are substantially at right angles with respect to the plate 9 and are substantially coextensive in length therewith. The op posite ends 12 and 13 of the element 8 are open. At the end E2, the plate 9 is cut out as denoted at it and in this cut-out portion, there are dis-' posed upper and lower aligned substantially cir-' cular hollow sleeves I and I6, respectively, which serve as means for pivotally mounting pins ii that are integral with the looped ratchet member [8, and this ratchet member has integral therewith a right angularly disposed belt gripping part 19, which has its belt gripping face portion constituted of ribs 20 or otherwise roughened so as to efiectively grip the free end of the belt as described hereinafter.

.The rear plate9 inwardly of the end I3 is formed with a spring locking tongue 2! which is substantially flat and is integral With this plate. The free end of the tongue 22 which extends at substantially a right angle to the tongue serves as a means to secure or lock the initials in place, as described hereinafter. l Zn alignment with this tongue at the end [2 of the rear plate or channel member, there is provided a stop 23. This stop also extends outwardly at a right angle to the plate and serves as a means to limit the movement of the first initial that is applied to this back member, as later described herein. One or both of the flanges l0 and H are provided with one or more elongated spring fingers 24 and 25, which are integral with the upper flange ill and which f ngers serve as a frictioning means for the initials that are applied to this back plate as later deri flheinitials B and i are of general box-like formation and areframe-like structures each includes a rear wall 26 .and upper and lower right angularly shaped flanges 21am @8 respectively, with the free ends 29 of these flanges turned over and in substantially parallel relationship with the rear walls 26. Each of the frame-like initials carriers are provided with a rectangular opening 30 in the said rear Wall and this opening is substantially intermediate the top and bottom edges of this wall and inwardly of the outer side edges 3]. 'Cut out of other suitable initials 32 are securedto the turned over portions 29 of the flanges 27 and 28 as by soldering, welding or in any suitable manner, these initials being permanently secured. V

The frames or box-like structure of the initials areof channel formation, similar to the channel formation of the rear buckle element 8 and are slightly arcuate or curved in substantially the same ar'cuate form and curved formation of the In other words, the amount of curvature of the initials is of the same amount and curvature as that of the rear channel element 8 so that the initials can be readily applied to the rear element.

For purposes of illustration only, theinitials have been shown as cut-out initials but it is understood that any desired type and character of initials or other indicia can be applied to the frame like initial carrying elements. 7

The initials 6 and I, as constructed and described herein, are readily applied to the back element by simply registering the channel flanges 21 and 28 of these initials with the channel formation including the upper and lower flanges it and II of the back element and sliding each initial on the back element. When the first initial indicated at 6 is slid on the back element by registering the said channel formations of the two elements, the'inner edge of the frame of the initial 33 engages the stop or abutment 23 and this limits the movement of the first initial and properly positions the same on the back element. It will be noted that part of the channel formation of the frame of the initial carrier straddles the pivotal connection of the ratchet gripping member on the rearelement. When this first initial 6 has been applied, then the second initial 1 is likewise slid on the back element and the top and bottom edges 34 and 35 of this second initial will abut the top and bottor'h edges 36 and 37 of the first initial and, of course, be stoppedand properly positioned on the back element and simultaneously with this action the locking tongue 22 of the spring 2! willproject through the opening 30 in the rear wall 26 of this initial and thus the two initials or more initials, if desired, will be adequately secured to the back element of the buckle and held thereon and accidental displacement of the initials from the buckle will thus be prevented. n I

With the said initials having been appliedto the back element of the buckle as hereinbefore described, the spring fingers 24 will exert pressure on the inner portions of the flanges 21 and 28 of the initial elements and will prevent any movement or rattling of these elements relative to the back member 9 to which they are secured.

While I have shown the belt buckle as being arcuate or of curved formation, and which construction is preferable, it is to be understood that the structure of the initials and their carrying members and the rear member 9 may be flat or straight, not curved or arcuate. Also while a ratchet member has been disclosed for securing the buckle to one end of the belt and for gripping the other free end of the belt, other suitable means of connecting the belt or holding the end thereof may be used. I,

1 riguies 1 and 2 or the drawin s, the buckle has been a puea to the belt or vice versa. fine end of the belt as passed through the loop is 'ofthe ratchet member and is turned back upon the belt proper 39 and is suitably stitched at 4'0 or otherwise secured thereto. This stitching or other suitablemean's fixedly attaches the buckle to the end of the belt. The free end of the belt ll is passedbetween the inside of the back plate and the inner sides of the initials and is gripped as at 42 by the ratchet member and securely held in the belt. Itis clear, therefore, that the initials when attached to the rear plate of the buckle actually constitute the front face or portion of the buckle. Like the rear plate, the initials are substantially rigid elements and when the same are assembled with the buckle, the buckle as a whole becomes substantially rigid, and, as it is uman adapts itself to the body of the wearer more readily than if it were flat;

What iscla'imed is:

I 1 A belt buckle consisting of an arcuate rear channel shaped member, means carried adjacent one end of the member for attachinga belt thereto and for securing the free end of the belt to the buckle, the channel shaped member including right angularly extending flanges, abutment means integral with the channel shaped member adjacent the end to which the belt is attached, a spring interlocking means integral with the channel shaped member adjacent its other end, and frame-like initial carrying elements, the initial carrying elements being of substantially channel shape formation and also arcuate and conforming with the arcuate formation of the rear element and one of the initial elements having an opening therein and through which the spring interlocking means projects and maintains both of the initial elements on the rear element.

2. A belt buckle as described in and by claim 1 wherein the channel shaped member is open at its ends and each of the frame-like initial carrying elements is open at its ends thus allowing the initial elements to be slidably engaged with the rear element and when assembled therewith allowing the free end of the belt to pass through the said open ends of the channel member and the initial elements.

3. A belt buckle consisting of a rear channel shaped elongated element having right angularly extending flanges and having an abutment, means for attaching the end of a belt carried by the element adjacent one end thereof and for removably holding the other end of the belt, initial carrying frame members each of which substantially conforms in cross sectional shape with the channel shaped element and slidably embraces the said channel shaped element with one of said frame members abutting said abutment, spring fingers integral with one of said flanges and engageable with the initial carrying frame members, and means on the channel shaped element to detachably interlock the other of the initial carrying frame members to maintain all of said initial carrying frame members in a locked position thereon, said last mentioned means being in the form of a spring tongue that enters an opening in the other of the initial carrying frame members.

4. A belt buckle comprising a rear channel shaped elongated element having an abutment, means for attaching the end of a belt carried by the element adjacent one end thereof and for removably holding the other end of the belt, initial carrying frame members each of which substantially conforms in cross-sectional shape with the channel shaped element adapted to detachably slidably fit on said channel shaped element from one end of the latter with one of said frame members abutting said abutment, and displaceable interlocking means on the channel shaped element to detachably interlock with the other of the initial carrying frame members to maintain all of the initial carrying frame members in a locked position thereon.

5. A belt buckle comprising a rear channel shaped elongated element having right angularly extending flanges, means for attaching the end of a belt carried by the element adjacent one end thereof and for removably holding the other end of the belt, an initial carrying frame member substantially conforming in cross-sectional shape with the channel shaped element and slidably embracing said channel shaped element, spring fingers integral with one of said flanges and engageable with the initial carrying frame member, and means on the channel shaped element to detachably interlock with the initial carrying frame member.

JOHN RALPH WHITEHOUSE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,125,023 Humphrey Jan. 12, 1915 1,784,794 Rosenberg Dec. 9, 1930 2,091,685 Meehan Aug. 31, 1937 

